Page 1 of 4
By Wiebe van der Sluis, Rooster 45, Doetinchem, the Netherlands
The look and integrity of the skin is important for any living creature. In poultry production this is not an exception; skin scratches affect the health of the bird and dramatically decrease the value of the end product. In addition, for most consumers skin scratches equate to poor management and deprived bird welfare during grow out. Whether that belief is always correct can be questioned, but we all know that it is difficult to publicly counter such an assumption. That is why prevention is the best solution.The incidence of scratches in the broiler industry is related to many factors, such as stocking density, light and feed management, sudden climate changes, type and status of the equipment present in the broiler house, lack of feed and feeder space, genetic susceptibility and nutrition.Bacterial penetration
The skin protects the bird against microbial and physical influences from the environment. It is the largest single structure in the regulation of the bird’s body temperature. Although the skin is continuously renewed and has a very high ability to recover from injuries, it may leave visible scars. Initially scratches are most of the time open wounds and allow bacteria to penetrate into the skin. Here they may cause cellulitis and gangrenous dermatitis, which will result in severe losses in meat yield due to increased (up to 7.0%; USA figure) condemnations. Broiler processors have traditionally battled scratching problems in the spring-summer months when light intensity affects flock activity and warm weather negatively impacts bird feathering.
The skin protects the bird against microbial and physical influences from the environment. It is the largest single structure in the regulation of the bird’s body temperature. Although the skin is continuously renewed and has a very high ability to recover from injuries, it may leave visible scars. Initially scratches are most of the time open wounds and allow bacteria to penetrate into the skin. Here they may cause cellulitis and gangrenous dermatitis, which will result in severe losses in meat yield due to increased (up to 7.0%; USA figure) condemnations. Broiler processors have traditionally battled scratching problems in the spring-summer months when light intensity affects flock activity and warm weather negatively impacts bird feathering.
Page 1 of 4 | Next Page »
Source: World Poultry, volume 27, no. 1, 2011
